Suspended Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has publicly expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as a “timely and decisive” intervention in the lingering political crisis rocking the state.
He acknowledged the President’s role in averting a full-blown anarchy and setting the state on the path to peace and reconciliation.
Fubara made the remarks during a strategic meeting with leaders and stakeholders of the Simplified Movement in Port Harcourt on Thursday, as part of events marking his second year in office.
“We are already in the peace process,” Fubara declared. “I want you to thank Mr. President for his timely intervention to salvage the situation, and stabilize the polity and the state. If not for Mr. President, the story today would have been different.”
The Governor confirmed that since the President’s intervention, multiple reconciliation efforts have been initiated, including private meetings held at the residence of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike — his political godfather and estranged predecessor.
“There is no reason why there will not be peace between himself and my Oga,” Fubara said, referencing Wike. “There will be peace. We are meeting. We will reconcile.”
The Governor’s remarks suggest a thaw in the icy relationship between him and the FCT Minister, whose political fallout in 2023 led to a sharp division in the state’s leadership and a major constitutional crisis that attracted national attention.
Fubara’s conciliatory tone comes amid his continued suspension from office by factions of the state House of Assembly loyal to Wike. Despite the political tensions, the Governor appears optimistic about restoring peace through dialogue and mutual understanding.
Observers see Fubara’s statement as a positive signal in the ongoing peace process and a possible blueprint for resolving intra-party conflicts within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and its affiliate allies across the country.
